Our team
Heather Retzko, Partner & Lobbyist
With extensive experience at the Colorado State Capitol, Heather is revered as an accomplished lobbyist, consultant, and public policy influencer. She comes to Policy Matters with 15 years of experience at the University of Colorado’s, Office of Government Relations, where she was quickly identified as a leader, mover, and shaker. Over the years she has been a key player in diverse public policy areas including higher education, healthcare, financial services, local government, the state budget and much more. Her statewide relationships with various branches and levels of government allows her to provide full spectrum strategy to our clients. As a solution-oriented strategist she brings invaluable experience and expertise to the table.
Heather earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science at the University of Colorado Boulder and earned her master’s degree of Public Administration from the University of Colorado Denver. She serves on the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Board of Directors. Heather lives in Denver with her husband Jay, son Ryker and Daughter Mila, with her other son, Ryker at Montana State University!
Tanya Mares Kelly-Bowry, Partner & Lobbyist
Tanya has a presence at the Capitol few people possess. With three decades of experience in politics she is renowned for her relationships, institutional knowledge, and expertise. Her career began as a staffer in the Colorado State Senate, where she went on to lobby at the Colorado General Assembly for over twenty years, while simultaneously advocating in Washington, D.C for 10 years. During this time Tanya led her team and clients through some of the best and worst political climates in Colorado history. She has lobbied under Republican and Democratic administrations and is a welcome thought partner on both sides of the aisle. Her dynamic and strategic approach to policy making often makes her a sought out thought partner for legislators, staff, and other lobbyist.
Tanya earned her bachelor’s degree in international Affairs and Political Science at the University of Colorado Boulder, has a master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from Regis University as a Colorado Trust Fellow, and studied at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government as a member of the senior executives in state and local government. She is currently serving as a Regional Council Member on the El Pomar Foundation. She lives in Westminster with her husband Chris and two daughters, Skylar and Jayden.
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Jenise May, Budget Analyst and Lobbyist
Jenise May is a seasoned lobbyist, policy consultant, and former Colorado State Representative and Joint Budget Committee Member with a strong background in public administration, human services, and legislative strategy. Currently leading Jenise May Strategic Solutions LLC, she advises on policy and budget issues, leveraging her deep expertise in legislative advocacy, strategic planning, and budget management. Jenise's impactful career includes executive roles with the Colorado Department of Human Services and extensive work with the Colorado General Assembly, where she has championed funding increases and policy reforms benefiting rural education, healthcare, and family services.
Known for her analytical prowess, Jenise excels in coalition building, legislative drafting, and budget forecasting, with a commitment to enhancing behavioral health and child welfare programs across Colorado. Jenise partners with Policy Matters on issues specific to the state budget and would focus her efforts under this proposal on budget strategy and lobbying of the Joint Budget Committee.
Katie Hancock, Budget and Policy Analyst
Katie comes to us with a variety of experience in different sectors. At the start of her career, she provided in-home therapy for children with autism, and worked as a treatment coordinator at a child advocacy center. This experience gives her in depth knowledge of how state and local policy and systems affect individuals, families, and communities. She moved from South Carolina to Colorado in 2021 to pursue a master’s degree. She immediately immersed herself in the issues facing Coloradans, interning for both Colorado Legal Services in their housing unit and Colorado Coalition for Sexual Assault as their public policy intern.
Most recently, she served as the legislative policy coordinator in the Colorado State Senate where she worked for leadership on policies related to K12 and higher education, healthcare, and learned the importance of strategic communication, relationship building, and bipartisanship. Katie has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from College of Charleston and a Masters in Social Work from University of Denver. She volunteers at Restorative JeffCo and Heartlight Center. Katie lives in Arvad with her fiancé, Tyler, and two dogs, Charlie and Goose!
Ximena Luna, Policy Associate
Ximena was born and raised in Greeley, Colorado, and brings a strong foundation in both state and federal policy work. She graduated from Colorado State University in December 2024 with a degree in Political Science. Ximena began her policy journey interning at the Colorado State Capitol with the Honorable David Ortiz, where she developed a deep interest in legislative advocacy. She went on to intern in the district office of former Congresswoman Yadira Caraveo, gaining valuable insight into how federal policies impact local communities.
Most recently, Ximena completed the CLLARO Capitol Fellowship, where she was placed with Policy Matters as her host office during the 2024 legislative session. Now a full-time Policy Associate at Policy Matters, Ximena supports a wide range of clients and policy areas with research, legislative tracking, and strategic advocacy. She brings a thoughtful, community-centered approach to her work and is passionate about helping clients navigate Colorado’s evolving policy landscape. Ximena lives in Greeley and stays closely connected to the northern Colorado community where she grew up.